I previously posted about recommended EDC multi-tool and LED light options for users sticking to a $50 budget, and also EDC recommendations for users willing to spend up to $200.
Here, I’ll talk about more premium recommendations with a $600 ceiling. Beyond this point, you are spending money on things unrelated to performance. For those reasons, I don’t advise most people go beyond this price point. If you’re a collector or a gear geek, it can be a fun hobby to explore, but for folks looking to put their tools to work, this is as much as you will likely ever need, if not more.
Price Point Overview
At this price point, you can get state of the art gear, tools that offer incredible performance and durability. You are making absolutely no concession on materials or design, though you make not get the blingy-est stuff on the planet.
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Its important to note that a lot of stuff, even in the production world, exists outside this price point. The Chris Reeve Sebenza, for example, is probably the standard bearer for high-end knives, but it is now priced close to $400. Similarly, Reate and a few other brands’ knives are pricier. Likewise, the Torchlab BOSS and a few other nice lights are clearly out of this price point (most BOSS lights start at $500 or more). You can find nicer stuff than what is listed here, but none of it is a rational or justifiable to purchase for regular use.
In other words, you can spend more if you want to, but it’d be hard to justify that you need to.
Gear Combo: Spyderco Spydiechef Knife, HDS Rotary LED Flashlight; Total: $555
The pairing of a Spyderco Spydiechef and HDS Rotary LED flashlight will tackle everything you could possibly ask out of a flashlight and knife combo, and they can do it regardless of conditions. They will work on a boat, crawling around in an attic, or on the side of the road in the middle of a storm.
Low maintenance, high performance, and insane ergonomics. This is gear at its best.
The Spyderco Spydiechef runs the amazing LC200N blade steel, a rustproof steel that is actually capable of holding an edge. Think of it as the offspring of H1 steel and 154CM. But this is not just a steel junkie siren. The Spydiechef is a great design by the Polish custom maker Marcin Slycz.
The knife is made in Spyderco’s Taichung Taiwan factory (widely considered to be one of the best production facilities in the world), and it sports a deliciously thin blade. This thing cuts like a straight razor, fits in the hand well, and sports rock solid build quality.
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I wouldn’t hammer this thing through a log, but I would do that with ANY folder. As an EDC blade, this might be perfect. If the Spydiechef is a bit too big, there is also a Spyderco Native with LC200N.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Compare(via BladeHQ)
If the Spydiechef is an eye-opener knife, the HDS Rotary is the same in the flashlight world. It is a bit big and no longer eye-scorching bright, but it is build like a bulldozer blade and features the best, most intuitive UI ever seen on a flashlight.
The HDS Rotary LED flashlight turns on via a tailswitch, but the tailcap itself rotates. By rotating the tailcap you change the output of the light. Twist one way, the light gets brighter, twist the other, it gets dimmer. Technically it is a stepped brightness system, but there are so many steps that the human eye perceives it as being a smooth scale.
Thanks to the rotary brightness adjustment system, you can access any output level directly from the off position, meaning you don’t need to turn it on and cycle through undesired brightness levels. The HDS Rotary flashlight has an automatic mode memory, and you can switch output levels without turning on the light. This is as good as it gets.
This kit is pretty big and bulky, and not a great match for fancy clothes, but it will certainly work with jeans or work pants.
Buy Now(via HDS Systems)
See Also: Recommended EDC Multi-Tool and LED Light Combo for Under $50 (2019 Edition)
See Also: Recommended EDC Knife, Multi-Tool, LED Flashlight Gear Combos for Under $200 (2019)
Wayne R.
$57 for a clip? “Hey, let’s innovate, get good writeups and become a spectacular target for knock-off operations. That’ll impress the Board.”
I think I’ll wait for the inevitable.
Brian A
LOL, I thought that was a typo. What cheap bastards, charge $284 for a flashlight and then double gouge you for the clip
Nathan
so there’s no rustproof steel that will hold an edge. none.
Meanwhile interesting info. neither product seems that good at either job really – Other than gushing at the obscure alloy choice what is the blade length, the total weight, the handle length? Anything special about the blade shape. Looks like a decent slicer for vegetables – like the chef’s knife I own for the kitchen.
ON the light what’s the lumens – what’s the throw – what’s the weight – runtime. why on earth would I buy that with plenty of other alternatives – price be damned.
Sorry but this isn’t much of a review other than a here’s some expensive stuff I think you should buy post.
Lukas
Do you have an LC200N blade?
Adam g
I on the other hand have the spydiechef and native 5 salt both with lc200n and it’s edge holding is just below vg-10. Great blade material!
Nathan
Do you have an ansi number for that alloy? How does it compare to Z-FiNit?
or Cronidur 30 neo?
No I won’t pay that much money for a single knife – not even a kitchen knife. though my chef’s knife was probably near 170 it was hand made.
OH and how about AISI 52100 or 52124. Heat treatment, or cold working of the metal in forming and completion is as important or more so than the alloy used.
Adam g
Z-finit and cronidur 30 are the same as lc200n but from different makers.
mike ricchino
Check out BD1N stainless. Its stainless with nitrogen added during treatment. Comes out harder (60+) than normal and stays sharp.
I bought a chef’s knife in it and it has been great.
William
You are right I say buck knife 45 dollars maglite 30 dollars that leaves me a lot of change for what ever and I think I could use the buck to take that foreign made spyderco apart
David R
I wouldn’t pay for that flashlight for a few reasons. But you can do worlds better than a Maglite for $30. For $50 you can get an even better one.
Boots
I have 2 HDS lights. I am always fascinated by the fact that max lumens is what everyone thinks is where the value is. I use my light at .1 lumens far more often than max. Check on the kids without waking them. Hiking a clear path with eyes adjusted to the dark. Yes, dark adjusted eyes can make use of .1 lumens. And the rediculous resulting run times come with this level of control. Then there is throw, completely different from lumens, but likely often confused. 250 lumens with proper focus throws as far as is useful for all but search and rescue style operations. Reflector matters here more than lumens, and HDS delivers a phenomenal beam profile. In practical terms, reliability is the most important characteristic along with user interface. Flashlights come out often when something has gone wrong. If it doesn’t work, or cant be used effectively for the intended purpose, then the lumens are irrelevant. Imagine a caver choosing a bargain backup light and it doesn’t work. Yes this is an extreme example, how about someone walking to their car at night, and something looks like a threat. Or the hiker whose flashlight only runs on max and the battery is drained before the destination is reached. A light needs to work above all else. The HDS, is the light you bring when things might go wrong. For everything else, the light on your cell phone should suffice.
Eli
If these are things that you like, and you have the disposable income to justify them, more power to you.
I think the big question in regards to EDC is; do you want a bunch of shiny stuff in your pockets, or are you actually putting your tools to work? I don’t have an issue with either approach, (were money no object I’d probably have way more shiny things than I do now) but recommending items at this price point for legitimate use seems superfluous.
As far as the light is concerned, although the build quality sounds solid, you can get ALOT more light for significantly less money. Again, if the tail clicky and rotary dial for ramping are your ideal UI then great! But there are hundreds of options on the market that give you considerably more functions, lumens, throw, and charging options for less than the price of the clip for this light. I supposed you could argue that you don’t really need more than 325 lumens, but at this point I don’t think we’re really talking about things we need.
Hepdog
I know it hurts when I lose a $50 Kershaw EDC knife – I can’t imagine losing a $200 one, much less a $600 one! Definitely this is gear for wealthy gear heads with a bad case of GAS – Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
-H
RCWARD
True that dude
Lukas
How often do you lose your knife?
clayton
I generally go through 1-2 leathermans a year.
Wayne R,
Put that big a hole in your wallet, it should be more noticeable when that knife’s making a similar gap in your pocket. I misplace my good stuff a lot less frequently than the junk.
David R
Losing a knife is a different issue than how a knife performs and cuts. I can’t recall the last time I lost a knife, fortunately. Kershaw makes some nice knives in the $50 range. I have a $75 Buck in my pocket right now that is an excellent knife. I don’t need a $200 SpydieChef.
However, if you like it and are willing to spend the money, they SpydieChef is one of many knives that are worth the money (imo) for a variety of reasons. My
RCWARD
More then 50 bucks for a knife and you have too much money and to little brain matter, always a bad combo
fred
I would not criticize anyone about how they wish to spend their money. I can have varied emotions about folks who deprive themselves or their families of the necessities of life to indulge their habits, hobbies and vices. But when it comes to spending disposable income – if you want to set up a charitable trust or buy a batch of over-the-top knives que sera sera.
Stuart
For your first pocket knife? Yes. The more you spend, the more you get, up to a point, and this post is meant to discuss two options that are priced around that point.
Generalizing is always confrontational.
“Gardening is a waste of time when you can buy vegetables and flowers at the store.”
“Don’t bother watching sports, spend the time teaching yourself something useful.”
“Don’t buy Dewalt or Milwaukee, Ryobi is just as good.”
“Hamburger is the only kind of beef anyone needs, why spend more.”
“Beer is empty calories.”
To each their own.
JoeM
One can argue that $50 is too low for that statement. After all, Leatherman tools, despite being DESIGNED around the Pliers, are in fact most often used as Knives. The same kind of thing for a Victorinox/Swiss Army Knife, or large Survival knife. You buy the Sub-$50 versions, you are buying trouble for yourself in the future.
In every case in the world… frankly… You get what you pay for. If you are, indeed, permanently below the poverty line, then a decent investment in a higher quality knife, or flashlight for that matter, may well enable you to keep a job that pulls you above that poverty line.
I’m not saying the one presented here is that knife, far from it… but if you take the time to read Anthony’s preamble to all this… He pretty much negates the need for your comment at all, RCWARD… These aren’t the knives anyone is desperately in need of, they’re the knives for those who dream of knives in a near obsessive manner, only bordering on the dangerous. These aren’t EDC knives for common or industrial folk. He entirely admits,these are for people with EDC fantasies and obsessions.
Also… And Anthony, please forgive how I phrase this… Stuart, same goes for you… But Anthony has also managed to write it up in such a way as to border on pornography for these kinds of people. It really is wonderfully written, and I continue to enjoy Anthony’s articles. Any voices that descent against the article being written, need only look at the first few paragraphs, and heed these words… You Were Warned.
Nathan
My chief complaint is about the review’s lack of information and useful data on either product.
you can argue metal alloys till purple and no matter how unique you can make them – in further lab testing they often get unique treatment requirements for useability.
I mean you could make a knife out of cubic boron nitride ceramics mounted in high boron content nickel steels – and never be able to sharpen it again but it’s not a useful knife either. Great 3 point cutter heads though.
Lukas
It’s not a review. Another mystery solved. You’re welcome
MichaelHammer
I love that knife, and while I could save up to buy such a thing, I could never put it use because I would be scared to death to even resharpen it. The light is just silly to me. I have 400 lumens “built like a tank” that I beat the hell out of daily on the job site that cost me 20 bucks.
Stuart
Honestly, while I’m not quite in the market for a super-premium LED flashlight, I’ve learned to appreciate the finer quality that comes with higher-priced models.
Based on Tony’s recommendation, I just might order an HDS Rotary for review purposes, to see how a $250 LED flashlight differs from less expensive ones. Looking at their website, it’s crazy how much thought and customization options are built into that flashlight.
The Elzetta I reviewed (https://toolguyd.com/elzetta-zfl-m60-tactical-led-flashlight-review/) and followed up on (https://toolguyd.com/5-years-with-an-elzetta-zfl-m60-led-flashlight/) sells for around $200, and its premium is reflected in its quality compared to less expensive lights.
But the HDS seems to be in a different ballpark from any flashlight I’ve bought or used before.
Is it worth the money, or is it more of a “collector’s piece?” The problem is that it seems to be both. A lot of higher-priced EDC tools are designed around functionality and quality, with less or even no regard to price.
What I wish we could do is create a sort of traveling box, where we send out a sampling of “good, better, and best” tools for handling and personal demo, but that would take too much time and effort to plan and manage, and there are way too many potential problems. With tools like these, hands-on time tells a better story than the immediate impression from a price tag.
There’s no reason why pricier EDC tools can’t be used daily, although I’d agree that these aren’t “beat the hell out of them” kinds of tools. For that, I’d likely spend $55 on a Maglite and maybe the same amount on a knife good enough to not drive me crazy, but also cheap enough to not cry over if it gets dinged, dirty, damaged, or destroyed.
Tony’s first review was for the $30 Ruike P801, and shortly after that I bought one myself. https://toolguyd.com/ruike-p801-folding-knife-review/ He was absolutely right about it. There are great options for lower budgets, and his other two posts in this series discuss options for $50 and $200 price caps.
David R
Why would you be afraid to resharpen it? LC200N sharpens quite nicely. If you didn’t want to get stones you could use a fixed rod sharpener (like the Spyderco Sharpmaker or another one) and keep that knife sharp forever. All knives need resharpening. Most of us just don’t want to bother and therefore have perpetually dull knives. It doesn’t take much skill or effort to keep a knife sharp. It does take a little education.